djmarvin

First you need to hold or have held a USPA Coach Rating or higher. USPA does not currently have any jump number requirement. It is 6 hours of freefall and a USPA C license or FAI equivalent. You also need a current USPA membership. USPA has the Instructional Rating Manual (IRM) Essentials available to download on their site. This has the basic information you need to know to qualify for a course. You will need to buy a full copy of IRM for your course. You can also find the requirements listed here http://www.theratingscenter.com/aff.html I recommend 4 way and smaller. Jumps that demand the most of your flying skills. Getting bigger than that you start playing more waiting than flying. The guys and gals who come into a course with ample four way experience typically nail the flying part. If you are going to be in a tunnel I recommend tell the coaches there your desire and most will help you with solid belly skills to apply towards AFF. For teaching skills, get a lot of solid coach jumps under your belt. Take time to properly teach each student and this will help tremendously. One of the biggest pieces of advice I give is "get more experience". Also shadow some of the Instructors at your DZ and learn not only the information they give out, but learn from the way they present. Of course ask their permission first, you never want to come off as a stalker :) When I first started jumping I wanted to be an Instructor one day. I still hear that dream from others. Stay humble and learn as much as you can from everyone around you. Good luck with your goals and keep learning! DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

FAI equivalent licenses are accepted for USPA ratings. edited to add "licenses", some might have read ratings into that DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

There has been a lot of discussion on here lately about A in a week programs. I have been lucky enough to work in a program like this and have seen GREAT success. I addressed some concerns on another thread linked here, but I have also copied and pasted that post. All programs in the world have weak links, human beings. Some instructors are more thorough than others in any program. I do agree with Andy (popsjumper) that some information can be lost on the way. However that is true with any program. With the right student and right instructors, retention will be higher. It is about what each individual puts into the training, both the student and the Instructor. If you take an A in a week and go uncurrent afterwards and rarely jump, then of course your retention will be week. However the same can be said if you do your license in a year. In my experience with A in a week students v standard learning time students, I have seen retention rates very similiar, the varying factor always seems to be the dedication of the student. There is no doubt repetition is a good thing, that is why a good A in a week program will make sure you have a thorough review of your emergency procedures daily, with continuing education throughout the day. Good lesson plans are also key to a strong A in a week program (or any learning environment). Having flight plans for each jump helps the student retain the information and encourages discussion and reinforcement by the Instructor. I understand that people can focus too hard on one objective (in this case, 25 jumps) and important knowledge and experience that comes from class time may be neglected. It is important for an A in a week program to have a schedule that manages everyone's time well. 3-4 jumps a day in seven days will get you an A license. That means there is a lot of time for ground training, whether it is book knowledge, hands on time working with gear, training for new procedures, etc. These things can easily be neglected, but with a good schedule and Instructor a lot of those things can and should be covered easily. It is up to each of us to continue committing those thoughts to memory. Many jumpers of any type of progression has forgotten everything they were taught the day they graduated. We are all students of the sky and should be striving to retain what we have and learn everyday. I do believe in time spent on the dropzone over years being a major benefit to jumpers, but there is also something said for immersing yourself into a environment that also foster strong growth. The years on a dropzone will come over time, the learning over that time will come with an open mind. Regardless of what time frame program you learn with I am sure you will enjoy what you find and that you will walk away excited about your new license. (research where you want to learn of course) DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Check out Skydive Spaceland. Great people, great facilities, great program. The A in a week program is a solid one and a great price. Your learning opportunities at Spaceland will not end at your license. Lots of great coaches and organizers to help boost your skills as well. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

What he said..... If you really want a hard copy but not willing to pay for it. Download the free .pdf and print the sections you need. Sections 2, 4, and 5 would be a great start. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

your story matches, my time frame did not. I remember meeting you, maybe for a pops event or some other bigway event. I was the chief instructor in 07 and I remember you asking about sitting in on FJC's and some compliments you paid to some of Spaceland's Instructors. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Thanks for the compliment Andy. It is nice to see people acting like adults here and having conversations with each other instead of at each other. I believe we met in 09 (?) at Spaceland. Would this be the same Andy I am thinking of? DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Stop picking on me :P All programs in the world have weak links, human beings. Some instructors are more thorough than others in any program. I do agree with Andy (popsjumper) that some information can be lost on the way. However that is true with any program. With the right student and right instructors, retention will be higher. It is about what each individual puts into the training, both the student and the Instructor. If you take an A in a week and go uncurrent afterwards and rarely jump, then of course your retention will be week. However the same can be said if you do your license in a year. In my experience with A in a week students v standard learning time students, I have seen retention rates very similiar, the varying factor always seems to be the dedication of the student. There is no doubt repetition is a good thing, that is why a good A in a week program will make sure you have a thorough review of your emergency procedures daily, with continuing education throughout the day. Good lesson plans are also key to a strong A in a week program (or any learning environment). Having flight plans for each jump helps the student retain the information and encourages discussion and reinforcement by the Instructor. I understand that people can focus too hard on one objective (in this case, 25 jumps) and important knowledge and experience that comes from class time may be neglected. It is important for an A in a week program to have a schedule that manages everyone's time well. 3-4 jumps a day in seven days will get you an A license. That means there is a lot of time for ground training, whether it is book knowledge, hands on time working with gear, training for new procedures, etc. These things can easily be neglected, but with a good schedule and Instructor a lot of those things can and should be covered easily. It is up to each of us to continue committing those thoughts to memory. Many jumpers of any type of progression has forgotten everything they were taught the day they graduated. We are all students of the sky and should be striving to retain what we have and learn everyday. I do believe in time spent on the dropzone over years being a major benefit to jumpers, but there is also something said for immersing yourself into a environment that also foster strong growth. The years on a dropzone will come over time, the learning over that time will come with an open mind. Regardless of what time frame program you learn with I am sure you will enjoy what you find and that you will walk away excited about your new license. (research where you want to learn of course) DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

I have personally worked with many students in an A in a week program with much success. Immediate reinforcement is usually a good thing. It is amazing to see what these folks walk away able to do compared to what others with the same jumps can do. There is no promise that a program like this will make you a rock star, but most come out much stronger than they would have if they had done the same jumps over several weeks or months. It's also a fun way to get away. Most jumpers like to find a place to skydive on their vacation, many even plan their vacations on skydiving trips. An A in a week program will keep you moving at the DZ for the that week, but talk about one fun vacation! DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

http://skydivingservices.net/index.php DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Blue Skies Terry, I enjoyed our time together at Spaceland. It was an honor knowing you and jumping with you. One of my most memorable jumps is an AFF with you on the other side. Fly Free brother! DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

I would consider the lack of ground training to rush on a load to beat the weather as an indicator but not definitive. Head back out to the DZ and watch for a few hours or even the day. You will get to see what normally goes on. This will also give you a chance to get to know some of the other jumpers and see the community at play. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

In my few thousand tandems I will disagree with this statement! I have found over the years that more people remember more information than most people/Instructors give them credit for. If an Instructor PROPERLY trains a student, that student will more likely remember the key points of their training. It is with this type of familiarity that we bring the most positive experiences to our students, allowing them a true glimpse into our world of skydiving. You never know which "I am only doing this once" student will turn into a skydiver for the rest of their life. If we train each one properly they are more likely to perform better, enjoy their experience more, and return to the sky to become a licensed jumper. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Yes Firefly is still in business. I would recommend trying to contact them through your local dealer or contact the dealer you order through. A good dealer should have a good relationship with the manufacturer and more than likely can get answers and things done quicker than the average person contacting the manufacturer directly. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Ruroc sent me a Knight Moves (now known as the RG-1) a couple years ago to test for skydiving. I put several jumps on the helmet with and without the face mask and/or goggles. The face mask DID catch air and pull on my head whenever my chin was exposed to the relative wind (sit and belly). I could not take the helmet on or off with the face mask attached. I had no issues with vision with the helmet or face mask, but when I used their goggles I had very limited peripheral vision. My Pro-Track sat nicely in pocket by the ear, but there needs to be a cover or some way to keep it there. It stays in place while on my head, but could easily fall out taking the helmet on and off. The overall size of the helmet is rather large, but does offer more protection than the average skydiving helmet. I heard plenty of Dark Helmet jokes due to the LARGE outer shell of the helmet. The back of the helmet was no problem when jumping smaller rigs but when jumping larger rigs it limited how much I could raise my head. Overall I like the helmet and think it is great for what is designed for, snow sports. It would need some modifications to really make it in the world of skydiving. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

You have a hard time understanding why people can not see your point of view, but have post like this. It is hard for me to read anything else in this post except to see your frustration. You can't really make a point of grow up people and say it in that form. There is no doubt that there are too many people under the wrong wing. There are countless more that are under the proper wing due to the education and mentoring of more experienced jumpers. When we take a civil approach and intelligently discuss these topics more people will see the light. If we ban everything that has a higher risk of killing people we could simply start with skydiving itself. We could also ban smoking, drinking, driving, and most anything else when we dig hard enough for the statistics. The stats are absolutely there for fatalities under perfectly good wings. We need to grow from the situation not withdraw. There was a day that a square canopy was considered dangerous, according to your post you should remember those days. What changed? Education is one of the major changes. I have seen a lot of changes in canopy education in my limited time in this sport and have seen a lot of good come from it. I have personally helped several jumpers understand the risk of their choice and to help them make a better choice, as has Aggiedave and Diablopilot and many others. By saying "You are accepting putting people with less experience than you on canopies that are quite capable of killing them and you. " you are making an assumption that we are accepting this. Many of us are not! Fortunately the industries eyes are wide open on this topic and a lot us are not accepting it. Instead of ranting on DZ.com get out to your local DZ and influence your local jumpers. Educate them about the dangers of canopy selection. Help them and others understand the whys and wheres. Or continue to argue with people on DZ.com. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

As much as it pains me to say this, I agree with you JP :P DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

I agree with the facts that it is the pilot, that we need more and better continuing education. My question is, what are you doing to help that, or are you just ranting on dramazone? DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Talk to Jay, he hooked me up with Jojo from SD San Diego. Awesome design, worked great. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Renewing your rating is not a difficult process. In short, make a minimum of one evaluation jump including the ground training process for either Coach or IAD. Plus a couple other things, like retake the written test and assist in a class. I have listed the complete answer from the 2011 USPA Instructor Rating Manual below. From page 2 of the 2011 USPA IRM "F. Challenging the Coach Course or Renewing an Expired Coach Rating 1. For persons with a current non-USPA Coach rating or equivalent or an expired USPA Coach rating a. make at least one satisfactory USPA Coach Rating Course evaluation jump with a USPA Instructor or IE who has served as a USPA Coach Course Evaluator b. assist in at least one complete first-jump course c. attend a USPA rating renewal seminar d. pass the Coach Course written exam with a score of at least 80 percent e. non-USPA Coaches must include a rating card or other proof of the non-USPA Coach rating to USPA Headquarters along with the Coach proficiency card" From page 108 of the 2011 USPA IRM "G. Challenging the IAD or Static-Line Instructor Rating Course or Renewing an Expired IAD or Static-Line Instructor Rating 1. Persons with a current non-USPA IAD or Static-Line Instructor rating or expired USPA IAD or Static-Line Instructor rating must— a. satisfactorily conduct at least one complete student evaluation jump with an IAD or Static-Line IE acting as a simulated student using the deployment method for which the candidate was rated, to include all jump preparation, supervision during the jump and debriefing. b. Pass the IAD or Static-Line Instructor Course written exam with a score of at least 80 percent c. Non-USPA IAD or static line instructors must include a rating card or other proof of the non- USPA IAD or static-line instructor rating to USPA Headquarters along with the IAD/static line Instructor Rating proficiency card" DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

I have heard of this before as well. This complaint typicaly happens on release jumps that are in facing two ways. Instructors need to learn to fly "quiet" as not to distract the student. It is commonly nervous energy when the AFF-I is noisy. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Given the chance to actually be a student and learn while on a tandem gives everyone a chance to really experience skydiving. With this chance people will be shocked by how many students will continue on with skydiving. Treating them as students gives us a fair chance to help grow the sport. Also if we don't consider them students then the FAA might look at this thrill ride and want to regulate it more. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

When you send it in you will also find out the fee on the card is out of date. The current license fee is $30. If you fill it out the payment with the change to $30 it may help the process along. If not your application may be delayed until USPA can verify with you the price increase prior to charging you. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Ditto DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com

Check the front section of each Category in the ISP to see the transition protocol for students going from one method to another. From The 2011 SIM pg. 47 "AFF and tandem students who have completed Category B must demonstrate a stable practice deployment on an IAD or static-line jump before proceeding to a clear and pull." Once they get to the hop and pop requirements as an AFF student they would be considered "former IAD or S/L students" and the hop and pop requirement would be covered (as long as they did hop and pops during their time as an IAD or S/L student) DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com